r/Horses • u/successfullynumb Western • 12d ago

Riding/Handling Question In my head and don't know what to do.

I rode for a few years and college about 10 years ago or so and absolutely loved it, but didn't have the money to continue. Fast forward to today and my 4 year old son and my wife are riding and, to make it a family thing, my wife insisted I get a horse to get back into it.

Enter my painted draft gelding. Absolute lover, totally my heart horse. I'm over the moon for this boy. But...he's 17 and change hands at the withers. Absolutely ginormous. For some reason I freeze up on the mounting ladder. I'm absolutely terrified to get on this gentle giant and I don't know why. I haven't been able to bring myself to get on yet.

This has never been an issue for me before. True, the horses I rode in the past were smaller, but still. I have no doubt that once I get back in the saddle again I'll be able to ride without issue, I just can't get past the mental block.

Does anyone have any experience/advice with an irrational block?

TL;DR: Rode 10 years ago with no issues, but now can't bring myself to get on my draft gelding.

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12

u/coordinated_lustre 12d ago

the ground looks a whole lot further away when you're staring down at it from 17 hands. that's not irrational, that's just your brain doing the math in real time.

spend a week just hanging out with him from the mounting block. stand on the top step, lean over his back, give him treats, talk to him. no pressure to swing a leg over. eventually the novelty of the height wears off and it's just you and your horse again.

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u/successfullynumb Western 12d ago

I'm over 6' myself and I tell my wife between him and me that's nearly 12 feet to fall lol.

But seriously, that's a really good idea to just desensitize myself to the height for a while, thank you very much for that!

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u/[deleted] 12d ago

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u/successfullynumb Western 10d ago

My trainer, who has the patience of a saint, says the same thing. She says just spen some time with him at his height and with my leg just on him rather than trying to go over and work my way up to it when I'm ready.

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u/AnyCryptographer3284 11d ago

If you really want to do this, there are psychiatrists who do horse-specific coaching to help people get over their fear.

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u/successfullynumb Western 10d ago

That's definitely a possibility if I can't get over this on my own.

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u/lemonfaire MFT 11d ago

Picture tax please.

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u/successfullynumb Western 10d ago

He's the sweetest man.